1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to loofahs which are used for bathing and showering, and in particular, to the loofahs which are constructed of man-made fiber interwoven into mesh cloth which is then tied or knotted, and a handle which allows these type of loofahs to be interchanged and secured to the handle for bathing and showering those parts of the body difficult to reach.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A natural loofah is any of several tropical vines of the genus luffa, of the gourd family which bear large elongated fruit. The dried natural fibrous interior of this fruit is utilized in bathing and showering as a sponge. The natural fiber loofah is semi-rigid when dry, but when wet, softens. The absorption of water and the application of soap allows the user to exfoliate dead skin from his body and invigorate and encourage the growth of new skin while showering or bathing. The natural fiber loofahs are produced in hand-held versions, and also are produced with an affixed handle which allows the user to reach those portions of the torso which are difficult to reach.
The popularity of loofahs and their usage has led to the development of man-made loofahs. These loofahs are formed from man-made fibers formed into perforated mesh cloth which are folded upon themselves and tied so as to form a ball-like structure having a plurality of furls extending there from. An example of the man-made loofah may be found in design patent 423,144 to Sun. The man-made loofahs function identically with respect to the exfoliation of skin and the invigoration of skin as do the natural fiber loofahs. However, the man-made fiber loofahs do not lend themselves easily to being affixed to a permanent handle.
The problem which Applicant addresses is that in a multi-user household, multiple members of the family would have their own man-made loofah for bathing those parts of the body easily reached. However, in order to lather and scrub the back, a separate loofah having an elongate handle or a separate bristle brush having an elongate handle would be required in order to reach the back of the individual. Depending upon the number of members in the household, a significant amount of paraphernalia in the form of man-made loofahs, and brushes, would accumulate in the shower or bath area. It would therefore be desirable if an individual's single man-made loofah could be adapted for scrubbing and lathering those parts of the body easily reached and temporarily securable to a handle for reaching those portions of the body not easily reached. In this manner, a single handle could be utilized and interchanged with multiple man-made loofahs from multiple users without adding to the bathing paraphernalia surrounding the tub or shower.